Plain Kate Wins the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

Image to the right courtesy CNW Group and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

It was quite a night. Toronto Dominion and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre hosted the most people ever for its annual gala celebrating the best of children’s literature. It was hardly possible to hear one think at the Carlu. The food was good, and the atmosphere was simply fabulous. As writers who aren’t used to this sort of attention, this day has quickly become the biggest day on our social calendar.

I was especially excited to hear the announcement about the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy, to be awarded for the first time next October. Fingers crossed, maybe I can find my way onto the list of nominees someday. Hey, you have to have ambition.

It was an excellent line-up of books up for the five awards in contention last night, and I was really pleased to meet the winners, including Valerie Sherrard, whose Glory Wind was really deserving, and Y.S. Lee, whose signed copy of The Spy in the House will be devoured by this reader soon.

And Erin won! She delivered a wonderful speech and shook hands with Frank McKenna (who, as a passionate advocate for literacy, has presented this award for the past few years), and we partied.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Toronto (October 5, 2011) ― The Canadian Children’s
Book Centre (CCBC) is thrilled to announce the winners of the five major
children’s book awards it administers:

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($25,000)

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000)

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction ($10,000)

Geoffrey Bilson Award For Historical Fiction For Young People ($5,000)

John Spray Mystery Award ($5,000)

The winners were announced last night at a gala event at The Carlu in
Toronto. The winners of the Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’
enfance et la jeunesse will be announced at an invitation-only gala event at
the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on October 25, 2011

Each of these award-winning books (listed below) was chosen because they
exemplify the best work in the Canadian author and illustrator community.
Adult and child readers alike are sure to be captivated by these engaging
stories, and it is certain that they will soon become Canadian classics that
will adorn bookshelves across the country.

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is proud to share these titles with
you. For a list of the shortlisted books for each award, please click here.

Plain Kate Written by Erin Bow (Kitchener, ON) Scholastic Canada for ages 11
and up

“Plain Kate is a triumph of imagination. With astonishing skill, Erin Bow
creates the world of Kate, whose talents as a wood carver mark her as a
witch. The fascinating, intricate plot bravely explores the wrenching
complexities of cruelty and of love. Bow’s prose is at once lyrical and
raw, and her characters are indelible. This is a book that will be read for
generations.”

I Know Here Written by Laurel Croza (Markham, ON) Illustrated by Matt James
(Toronto, ON) Groundwood Books for ages 5-7

“An authentic, personal voice captivates from the first line, in this
leave-taking from a beloved childhood home. The centre of this child’s
universe is a trailer camp in the northern wilderness, rendered in all its
details with brilliant harmony between Croza’s affecting, naturalistic
words and James’s evocative, childlike paintings… Running throughout are
bittersweet emotions, wonderfully narrated, that all will recognize.”

“A perfect combination of science, story and history, compellingly
presented by Susan Hughes who shows with absorbing detail how modern science
can shed new light on some of mankind’s most beguiling mysteries… The book
is replete with colourful graphic illustrations, maps, photographs and
fascinating forensic notes to intrigue the curious child as well as adults…
An exciting and entertaining read.”

JURY MEMBERS:

Julia Beck, Education and Research Consultant, and former Director of
Library Information Services, Toronto French School; Jeffrey Canton,
Lecturer, Children’s Studies Program, York University, Toronto; Wendy Mason
Geoghegan, Children’s & YA Specialist and Consultant, Indigo/Chapters, and
former instructor, University of Toronto and University of Windsor; Arlene
Perly Rae, writer and children’s advocate; Itah Sadu, author, storyteller
and owner of A Different Booklist.

… … …

GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ($5,000)
Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund

The Glory Wind Written by Valerie Sherrard (Miramichi, NB) Fitzhenry &
Whiteside for ages 11 and up

“A very moving portrayal of both small town life and friendship… Sherrard
beautifully conveys the small-mindedness and prejudice of the town, and the
subsequent consequences… The Glory Wind effectively depicts life during the
1940s, but still manages to be a modern story that resonates with
contemporary readers… It did everything for me that a good novel should do
- it made me smile, it made me angry, it brought me to tears.”

“In A Spy in the House Lee has got Victorian London right; this is what
Dickens’ world really smelled like, literally and morally… Interesting
and unique, Mary Quinn is a strong character who can think on her feet… I
loved this book from the first line to the very last… A great read for a
young adult of any age… It worked from beginning to end.”

JURY MEMBERS: Marian Misters, Co-owner of the Sleuth of Baker Street Mystery
Bookstore; Ken Setterington, Librarian, Author, Reviewer, and former Child
and Youth Advocate for the Toronto Public Library; and Eric Wright, retired
Professor of English at Ryerson University, Writer, and Winner of numerous
awards including four Arthur Ellis Awards for Best Crime Novel, and the
Derrick Murdoch Award for Lifetime Contribution to Canadian Crime Writing.

… … …

ABOUT THE AWARDS:

TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD The TD Canadian Children’s
Literature Award was established in 2005 to honour the most distinguished
book of the year for children aged 1 to 12. Entries are judged on the
quality of the text and illustrations and the book’s overall contribution
to literature. All books for children, in any genre, written by a Canadian,
are eligible for the award. Starting in 2009, the winning book receives $25,
000 (up from $20,000) and an additional $10,000 is divided amongst the
honour books. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for
promotional purposes.

MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD The Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format, for children aged
3 to 8. Charles Baillie, retired Chairman and CEO of TD Bank Financial
Group, is delighted to give the prize in his wife Marilyn’s name. As an
award-winning children’s book author and an early learning specialist,
Marilyn is involved in and passionate about children’s literature. Starting
in 2009, the winning book receives $20,000 (up from $10,000). NORMA FLECK
AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION The Norma Fleck Award for
Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction was established by the Fleck Family
Foundation in 1999 to recognize Canada’s exceptional non-fiction books for
young people. The award honours Norma Fleck (1906-1998), who inspired a deep
love of reading in her children and grandchildren. Dr. James Fleck, who
initiated the award, is the son of Norma Fleck. The winning book receives
$10,000.

GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE The Geoffrey
Bilson Award was established in 1988 in memory of the respected historian
and children’s author, Geoffrey Bilson. The $5,000 prize is awarded annually
to the Canadian author of an outstanding work of historical fiction for
young people. In 2005, the Bilson Endowment Fund was created to support this
award. If you wish to contribute to this fund, please contact the CCBC.

JOHN SPRAY MYSTERY AWARD

The John Spray Mystery Award was established in 2011 to honour excellence in
the mystery book format. John Spray, President of the Mantis Investigation
Agency, is delighted to sponsor the prize, noting that mystery books made
him a passionate reader at an early age and helped him find his chosen
career. The $5,000 prize is awarded annually to a Canadian author of an
outstanding work of mystery writing for young people.

THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is
a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in
1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating
of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections and
extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a
treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers.
For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.